Lancer du Loc (Adopted from Ashen Author)
by Hedgehog of Time
Summary: One act of defiance is all it takes to change everything. With Lancelot summoned as Lancer rather than Berserker, How will the game change with the most valiant of the Knights of Camelot on the battlefield? The War for the Grail will take a very different turn.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello there my loyal minions! This is the story "Lancer du Loc" by the epic person Ashen Author which I have adopted. I have kept the first two chapters mostly the same, save for some changes of my own but it's mostly the same.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

" _Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate,"_ Kariya intoned in the basement of the Matou Manor. Behind him he could hear that foul monster whom he shared blood with shift. Kariya had come to Zouken to take back Sakura, and save her from the hell she had been dropped into, but he lacked the power and he knew it.

Zouken might be a monster, but he was an old, clever, and powerful monster. No one was even sure how old he was, but he had definitely survived at least one century, and had used that time to build up his power base in Fuyuki. Almost nothing could hope to challenge him on his home ground.

So instead, Kariya had made a deal with the devil. He would return to the family and take up his position as a magus to serve as the family's representative in the Holy Grail War. If he won the Holy Grail, Zouken would give him Sakura in exchange for it.

" _Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Repeat five times."_ Behind him Kariya just barely heard Zouken lean forward, and a hiss of eager breath, and suddenly he was filled with misgivings. Just before beginning the ritual to summon a Servant, Zouken had given him an extra line to add, saying it would provide his Servant with extra power. An edge in the coming conflict.

But why should he trust Zouken's words?

The man was undoubtedly petty enough to sabotage their chances if it meant getting back at the prodigal traitor of the family. After all, he had time to spare. The old man had originally intended to sit out this War completely and wait for the next. He would lose nothing by sabotaging his chances, but would gain revenge as the ghoul watched him suffer and struggle unsuccessfully. The bastard would probably use the events as entertainment, with a possibility to get the Grail as a fringe benefit.

'If there really was a line that added power to a Servant,' Kariya realized, 'then why wouldn't it have been added to the chant from the very beginning? There must be a cost,' he concluded. 'No doubt it will give my Servant more power, but at a price that I cannot pay.' He decided to skip the extra chant and go to the last line as he had originally memorized.

" _Let it be filled fivefold for every turn, simply breaking asunder with every filling,"_ he finished, and the ritual circle activated. There was a blast of silver light from the magic circle, and a figure stepped forward, illuminated from behind by the moon. The effect was awe-inspiring, and Kariya found his breath taken away.

"What?" Zouken snarled viciously from behind him. "Why did you not alter the chant as I said?"

"...Because you're a lying, evil, child molesting, deceitful bastard who I don't trust as far as I could throw?" Kariya suggested innocently, and then turned to face his Servant.

"Servant Lancer, by your summoning I have come forth," the figure declared boldly, confidence rife in his voice. Not arrogance, but merely an assurance that he would prevail. His face was that from a schoolgirl's dream, gentle and handsome. His hair was the color of raven's feathers, and his eyes the shade of coal. In his right hand was a curiously dull jousting lance and a covered shield in the other. His armor was silver in color, with black connectors between the pieces. "I ask of you this, are you my master?" he spoke in a bell-like voice.

"Yes, Servant Lancer, I am your Master in this war. My name is Kariya."

"You fool," Zouken sneered "The Mad Enhancement of the Berserker class would have made this knight far stronger!"

"So that was your plan," Kariya mused, standing to face his father. "But I remember that Berserker uses massive amounts of prana in his fights. Such a burden would have shortened my life, no doubt, much to your amusement."

Zouken snorted. "Do as you wish, you fool," he said dismissively, walking up the stairs of the dungeon. "Begone from my house. But feel free to return and visit young Sakura if ever your dedication should start to waver," he added from the top of the stairs. "I'm certain that she'll appreciate the moral support in the midst of her training." Kariya turned his head and spat as Zouken closed the door behind him.

"I sense that there is much bad blood between you, Master," Lancer observed calmly. Then his face became grim, "And he leaves a foul taste in my bones."

"Yes," Kariya answered simply, before a coughing spasm struck. He felt the worms shift inside him, feeding to create prana as he hacked violently into his hands. When he pulled his palms away from his mouth after the attack had passed, Kariya saw that they were speckled with blood.

"You are not well, Master" Lancer said with concern.

"No, but I will survive the Grail war and win," Kariya said firmly. "Come, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to."

* * *

"You see, Master? There was no reason for you to remain in alleys and gutters like a rat when a safe bed was so close by," Lancer chided as Kariya settled onto a hotel bed. "Not only is it ill for a sick man to be exposed to the elements, but it leaves you far too exposed to the predations of other Masters." He paused as Kariya coughed and waited for the sick man to finish. "I do wish we had paid for the room, however."

Kariya was not a skilled magus, but hypnotism was a very basic skill.

"I have no money, sadly," Kariya admitted. "Due to my split with my family I won't receive any from them, and I wouldn't take it if I could." He coughed again violently. "It's filthy, just like their souls."

"All of them? You seemed quite endeared to that young girl we saw as you were leaving?" Said Lancer. A single tear slipped down Kariya's face, causing Lancer to be taken aback. What had transpired to force his Master into such a state?

"Yes," he whispered haggardly, "children are innocent. But more importantly, Sakura is not a true member of the Matou. That is the reason I joined the war."

"An illegitimate child, or an adopted one?" Lancer asked. "And how are you fighting for her sake? Do you intend to use your wish to give her a better life?"

Kariya laughed bitterly. "Something like that," he said, "but in truth I have no wish for the Grail. That old ghoul you saw is named Zouken, the head of the family, and he has promised to free Sakura from the Matou if I can obtain and give him the Grail."

"Free her from the family? In what way, and why? I may be a father myself, though admittedly not a very good one, but it seems to me a good thing that she has a family to be a part of," Lancer said. "Or is it that she is your daughter, and you want her back?"

"She is not my daughter by blood, but she is as good as," Kariya said with a touch of parental protectiveness, "and the Matou are not a good family to be a part of. Sakura is the daughter of the only woman I loved by another man. We were originally engaged to be married but I broke off the engagement and tossed aside my family name because of what the Matou are. We are magi of the worst kind."

"I knew of two magi in life, and I hardly think that you could be worse than either of them," Lancer said.

"You...are a knight of the Round Table, correct?" Kariya asked. "I would assume that you speak of Merlin or Morgana, then. Tell me, did either of them ever violate children using meter-long worm familiars?" Lancer stilled.

"What." Said Lancer, blank shock on his face.

"The Matou specialize in absorbtion magic, and our head uses hundreds of insect familiars, but worms are his favorites. Had I married Aoi, she and any children we had would have been trained in and bound to the Matou magic by being tossed into a pit of several dozen meter-long worms," Kariya said, seeming almost to take pleasure in horrifying his Servant. "The worms familiarize themselves with and alter your body by entering it, and while there are carnivorous ones that can chew holes into your skin, they usually prefer to use… pre-existing orfices," he continued, only for Lancer to stand up suddenly, pure hatred on his face. It was such a rapid change from the calm demeanor he had seen earlier that Kariya could hardly believe that this was the same Servant.

"Master, if you do not wish me to return to that den of sin and raze it to the ground," he snarled, "then you should use a Command Seal to that affect. Otherwise, I will go rescue that girl myself, and purge this world of that foul _beast!_ " he said, spitting out the last word like it was a curse.

"If I thought that would work I would have killed Zouken myself," Kariya replied bitterly. "The thing is no longer human. His worm familiars are what hold his soul to this world now, and unless you can find and destroy every one of them-underground, in buildings, or even concealed in the bodies of other, innocent people-then he won't die when killed, and will return to take even more horrible vengeance. Assuming we can even kill him in the first place, Lancer. This is the center of his power, and he has been building it for over one-hundred years. Could you fight Merlin under such circumstances?"

A long moment passed, and then slowly the Servant sat down. "No," he said, his voice sounding defeated. "But what is there to do then?"

"Play his game and win," Kariya said simply, curling his hand into a defiant fist. "And to do that, we only need to kill six other beings as powerful as you, despite the fact that providing prana for your fights literally results in the worms inside me devouring my insides. Easy."

"Should I return to spirit form, then," he asked.

"No, I would rather learn your abilities first, and I prefer speaking face-to-face for that," Kariya said tiredly. "The drain is minimal for now, though that will change when the fighting begins."

"I shall endeavor to win with all speed," the knight promised, pounding his right fist over his heart.

"Thank you. Now, to begin, what is your name? I summoned you using a piece of the Round Table, but beyond that I don't know anything," Kariya admitted. Lancer stiffened.

"I...would rather not say," Lancer said cautiously. Was that… shame in his voice? "However, my name is not important. One of my Noble Phantasms allows me to disguise myself as other Heroic Spirits, so a fake name will be easy to use. I cannot use their abilities or weapons, but unless another spirit would know the fake one they should be unable to tell."

"And if they do know who you're supposed to be, that's useful information," Kariya said thoughtfully. "It will take planning, but we may be able to do this. You have another phantasm, though? You spoke of multiple ones."

"My second, Knight of Honor, allows me to claim and use any weapon as though it were my Noble Phantasm, including the weapons of others," he explained. "As long as I can lay hands on it, and it can be used as weapon, then I can make it mine. For instance," and here he paused to look around the room. It was very sparse, but his eyes fell on a lamp, which he picked up and indicated the cord.

"You can use a lamp as a weapon?"

"No. It has a higher purpose as a light source," Lancer explained, "but if I were to remove the cord I could use that as a D-class Noble Phantasm and strangling cord. It would not possess any special qualities, but it would be strong and durable, and could harm another Heroic Spirit."

"I see," Kariya breathed. "That...that is a rather frightening power. But you also have a jousting lance, hence your title as Servant Lancer. Is that a Noble Phantasm as well?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "but using it prevents me from using my other two skills, for it reveals my identity and true abilities. Thus, it is a last resort. But when activated it can destroy any weapon, shield, or armor on the third strike, and then I can attack my foe directly through the opening created."

"Interesting, but not very useful," Kariya judged. "You still will not tell me your name?"

"I will obey if you order me, my liege, but I would not reveal myself if it can be avoided," the Servant answered, his mouth set in a stubborn line.

"Very well then. You may return to Spirit form and watch over my sleep, please. We will decide on the first of your false identities in the morning."

"As you wish, Master." Said Lancer with a small bow. As he dissolved into astral form, he couldn't help but smile. What a man he had been given as a master. A truly selfless man, to have put himself through such things for the sake of a child that was not even his. To save a soul he had flung himself into Hell. In Lancer's own opinion, the man before him was as worthy as any of a place at the round table.

* * *

"That figure," Lancer whispered from where they hid in an alley, watching the duel between Saber, who possessed an invisible sword, and Berserker, a large Viking-like warrior wielding a greatsword that was nearly as big as he was. The Viking wore only animal skin breeches with a buckskin cloak. The only armor was an iron helmet upon his head. His skin was blackened and gray and his eyes blazing red, a sign of the mad enhancement. His hair was a fiery red, almost like fire itself burned on his face.

"You recognize one of them?" Kariya asked under his breath.

"Master, we may be able to gain assistance in your quest," he murmured. "Without a doubt, it is King Arthur himself who wields Invisible Air against the insane Berserker. And his Master appears to be a rather genteel lady. No doubt they will both sympathize with our plight if we should explain it."

"You mean the Saber with the invisible sword is King Arthur?" Kariya asked skeptically.

"Yes. I would recognize my Liege anywhere. We were comrades at the Round Table, and fought together for many years," he agreed.

"...Lancer, does your disguise interfere with your eyes?" Kariya asked.

"No, why?"

"Because that Saber is a girl! In a dress! Breasts! Long hair! Short and petite! Isn't King Arthur supposed to be more...manly? A beard at least? And wasn't he married to Guinevere?" The Servant shifted guiltily, but answered.

"The gender of the king is unimportant," Lancer said firmly. "His majesty was the greatest of kings, a dragon in human form, a force of nature on the battlefield, and a wise and just ruler for all his life!"

"...And a girl."

"Well, yes, but that was not widely known," Lancer hedged. "The truth of the king's gender was known only to the most trusted of knights: myself, Gawain, Galahad, Bedevere, Sir Ector before his death, and Sir Kay, of course."

"And Merlin and Uther Pendragon?" Kariya asked idly, watching Saber dance around Berserker, constantly adapting to his fighting style as Berserker switched between the four weapons he had.

"Well, yes," Lancer admitted a little awkwardly. "And that wretch Mordred, now that I think of it...and Morgana...and Guinevere herself, of course." He said quickly, another little flash of guilt in his eyes at the last name.

"Of course," Kariya said drily. "So it really wasn't that much of a secret at all, then?"

Before Lancer could answer, Rider appeared, crashing a large chariot drawn by bulls onto the battlefield.

"Ho ho!" The giant redhead in the chariot roared. His voice was so strong as to almost be a physical force, pushing Kariya to his knees. "I see before me some skilled warriors. Tell me, I know that we are in the Grail War for our own purposes, but would either of you consider surrendering and joining my army? You will be rewarded, and will have the honor of serving Alexander the Great, King of Conquerors, in his campaign across the world!"

"Hraurgh!" Berserker grunted, pausing his duel.

"...As a King myself, I could never bow to another," Saber said.

"Hmm, I can understand that," Rider agreed. "Still, I can sense that there are other Servants present. Come forth and I offer you the chance to swear loyalty to the King of Conquerors!"

"What is he doing? Announcing himself like that?" asked Kariya incredulously. "Is he just stupid or something? I would have thought Alexander the Great was smarter than this."

Lancer chuckled slightly. "Quite contrary Master, I believe that the King of Conquerors has actually made a calculated gamble." At Kariya's confused expression Lancer elaborated. "You see, even in my day many knew of the story of Alexander the Great. And now, in this day and age, his name is synonymous with victory. Rider is betting on the knowledge of his identity will provide sufficient fear in his foes to balance out any disadvantage of knowing who he is." Explained Lancer, looking impressed.

Kariya nodded in understanding. "A bit arrogant, but it makes sense." He looked back at the three Servants below. "But the challenge of Rider remains manly unanswered." He said.

Permission to show myself? Lancer asked.

"Go wild", Kariya agreed. Lancer quickly changed his appearance and leapt down into the fray.

"I am Servant Lancer!" he announced, leaping out of the shadows wearing bronze armor over a toga, a bronze helmet, and holding a spear in one hand. "Know that you have the honor of facing the Invulnerable Achilles!"

And he was wearing solid metal boots.

Rider's eyes widened in surprise and his face was overcome with admiration. "By the Gods above, Achilles truly! My childhood hero makes his way to this battlefield this day. Great and valiant Achilles, would you honor me by fighting beside me in this war?" requested Rider.

"I already serve another Master, I'm afraid," he answered easily, making efforts to keep from staring at Saber. "Still, perhaps the next time we meet something could be arranged. And you grant me the honor of testing my might against thee." Lancer was not certain what he wished for, but he knew that his Master's wish was selfless and noble. He would forfeit his own goals to save the young maiden, and if Rider would help in exchange for an alliance, then he would try to forge one.

But fealty he had sworn to his king, and to Arturia only would he kneel.

"Iskandar the Great," a voice echoed from the shadows. "You were the Servant I had originally hoped to summon, until my deceitful apprentice stole my catalyst. I had to summon someone else with the spare, and place him under Mad Enhancement in the hopes of offsetting the power difference. Tell me, would your Master by any chance be named Waver Velvet?"

"Eep!" squeaked a voice from the back of the chariot.

"I thought as much. Well, my poor student, it appears I have one last lesson to teach you: how magi kill one another, and all the pain and terror involved in this. Berserker, engage."

"Hrauror!" the mad Servant roared, and blurred forward.

" **Via Expugnatio**!" the chariot literally thundered forward, wreathed in lightning. Berserker flipped into the air mid-charge and swung his sword down.

Rider threw up his spatha and the air screamed as the two blades met, as everything seemed to slow down.

And then Berserker's other hand, a powerful Viking lance appeared, which lashed forwards towards the figure cowering in behind his Servant.

Time unfroze as a different spear flew through the air, thrown by Lancer, knocking the black and red lance off-course, while Rider roared and heaved, throwing Berserker into the air as his chariot continued forward. The insane soldier flipped, reorienting himself, and launched at Rider's exposed back the moment he touched the ground.

Saber met him, locking her blade with his to stop Berserker in his tracks.

"It is the height of rudeness to ignore an opponent you've already engaged," she chided stiffly. "Your duel with me is incomplete." She broke away from the lock when Berserker whipped the golden lance at her head, losing not a strand of hair as she ducked the blow.

Only to discover on Berserker's next attack that he had switched weapons, dual-wielding his lance and a short axe, sweeping the axe at her head. It pierced but did not dispel Invisible Air, and screeched when it slid off Saber's blade when she parried.

And he had switched weapons again, drawing the longer of his sword to replace the lance and slicing it at her head.

' _His constant changing of arms makes him a difficult foe'_ , Saber thought to herself, _'but at least his sword skills are below my own, so I can read his movements'_. At which point Berserker, perhaps under instructions from his master, upped the ante again.

" **Skraeling**!" the mad Servant roared while he swung, and his blade flashed. A cut opened up along Saber's collarbone, beginning at her left shoulder and ending just above her right breast.

"Tch!" she hissed. _'I felt his sword hit mine and glance off! How didn't I block? ...That's his Noble Phantasm, but what does it do?'_ Her shock didn't keep her from parrying and blocking the next blow, but several exchanges later, he sliced his lance across her sword arm, though she gave him a gash across his stomach in exchange. Saber leapt back to gain distance, and that was all the invitation the watchers needed.

" **Vio Expugnatio**!" Rider roared again, this time clipping Berserker, who didn't quite dodge quickly enough.

"Get up you fool, and kill Velvet already!" echoed Kayneth Archibald's voice.

"Alicarl*," Berserker snarled, turning towards the once more exposed back of the King of Conquerors. But where the cowering mortal had once been, now there was only empty space in the rear of the chariot.

Saber did not take her eyes off of her foe, but addressed Rider. "I would thank you for the assistance, but we are not allied, and I prefer to fight my battles one on one. It is the way of honoring a strong enemy."

"I was merely expressing my displeasure that he attempted to attack my poor, defenseless master," Rider assured her condescendingly. "Naturally, I could not do so with his own Master without lowering myself to the same level, so I merely did what I could."

"Gruh," Berserker muttered, and charged towards the vulnerable newly located Waver Velvet, who was trying to hide in the shadow of a pile of crates. Halfway there a streetlight pole swept horizontally across the space, catching Berserker on his already injured mid-section and throwing him back towards the other two servants.

"Bull's eye," Lancer congratulated himself, letting the make-shift weapon drop.

" **Vio Exugnatio**!" Rider roared, aiming for a finishing blow.

"Berserker, return," Kayneth ordered, invoking a Command Seal. The servant vanished in a flash of light inches away from being mangled by Rider's attack. The three remaining Servants paused, eyeing each other uncertainly. Rider's attack had ended with him dangerously close to Irisviel, while Lancer was still within easy range of Waver, and Saber was injured.

The three eyed each other and, with their codes of honor, came to an unspoken agreement.

"It seems a shame to fight now, after all that," Lancer began, walking away from Velvet. "A truce? Until tomorrow night, perhaps?"

"Yes, that seems agreeable," Rider nodded, moving away from Saber's master and towards his own. "Having defended my master, I feel myself too deeply in your debt to fight right now, and I cannot bear to crush an already injured opponent."

"And you, your Majesty?"

"A truce seems most agreeable," Saber nodded. "I am far from at my best, and a wise warrior does not fight when they do not have to. Until tomorrow night then, gentlemen?"

"Agreed," Lancer stated, eyeing Saber, before dematerializing to return to his master.

* * *

"A Servant is approaching," Irisviel noted as the bounded fields around the Einzbern castle went off. She frowned, pulling up feed from the security cameras Kiritsugu had installed throughout the woods.

"A Servant? In broad daylight? I thought that the War would only occur at night," Saber said, and then noted, "not that I am a stranger to treachery in war, though. Is it Berserker? And should I go intercept them"

"I...wait. It looks like Lancer. And his Master?"

"Lancer? I would not have expected him to have ignoble intentions. Do you think they are here to pursue an alliance, then?"

"It looks like one of them is holding a white flag. Or injured. Do you think he's trustworthy?"

"He guarded another Servant's Master when treachery, or even inaction, would have removed a powerful player from the game. Rider may be the most dangerous of the Servants, aside from myself."

"So either trustworthy, or insane. Or..."

"Or?"

"Lancer and his master might have some motivation other than the Holy Grail. Either way, you should go greet them. I'll call Kiritsugu and stream him the video from the solar, you bring them there if they come in peace."

"I will," Saber affirmed.

The servant of the sword raced through the trees, putting her rank B speed to good use, and was at the location Irisviel had indicated in under a minute. She heard voices and footsteps approaching, and stepped onto the path.

"Come no further, Lancer, until you announce your intentions! Are you here as friend or foe?"

"Friend," rasped a weak voice. "We want to parlay. Make an alliance." Saber looked closer at the pathetic figure that was apparently Lancer's Master. He was thin and pale, and sweating heavily. One arm was looped over his Servant's shoulders for support, while the other held a makeshift white flag: a pillowcase tied to a stick. The magus's eyes widened and he broke into a coughing fit, pressing the flag he'd been waving to his mouth.

Saber's eyes were sharp enough to see spots of red when he pulled the cloth away.

"You appear ill. Do you require assistance reaching the castle? I can carry you," she offered, sheathing her sword.

"That is not necessary, your majesty," Lancer said. "I can carry my Master. We merely thought it best to approach slowly, on foot, until we were admitted into your hospitality."

"You have it. Unless my Master uses a Command Seal you will be safe beneath our roof, and if so he will need another to make me obey any other order he ever gives," Saber guaranteed.

"I would never doubt your hospitality, your Majesty," Lancer told her, picking up his sick Master. They raced back to the castle in silence to find tea and Irisviel waiting for them.

"May I offer you some tea?" she asked, pouring as they took their places at the table. The ill man answered, his voice weak and raspy.

"I...thank you. My name is Kariya Matou, Master of Lancer. I wanted to form an alliance with you." Said Kariya, flopping weakly into an armchair with Lancer hovering protectively over him.

"I am Irisviel non Einzbern, Master of Saber. What kind of alliance did you have in mind?" she asked politely.

"Before that," Lancer said, "I should inform you that this is not my true appearance, nor am I Achilles."

Saber and Irisviel both raised their eyes as Kariya gave a nod.

"A personal skill for disguise? Or is it a Noble Phantasm allowing you to conceal your identity?"

"The latter… my king," Lancer said, and his form shifted, skin paling, plate armor appearing, shoulders growing broader, and his hair lengthening as it changed color. Saber bolted to her feet in visible shock.

"Lancelot!"

"Precisely, my Liege," he agreed, kneeling.

"My dear friend, it is so good to see you again," she murmured, her voice teary, though her eyes were dry.

"Wait, Saber," Irisviel said with a frown, placing a hand on her Servant's arm to keep the blonde from embracing her knight. "I doubt they would come up with something this complicated for betrayal, especially since they would have had to recognize you first, but there's always the possibility that the same Noble Phantasm that allowed him to imitate Achilles is now letting him look like Lancelot. Is there some way to prove his identity?"

"Yes," Saber agreed. "What did I say after I first met the good Sir Galahad, if you are really my closest friend?" Lancelot shifted uncomfortably.

"Are you referring to when you swore to strip me of my knighthood for begetting a child out of wedlock, threatened to unman me with Excalibur, or allowed me to keep both these things on the condition that my son act as a 'tiny, exuberantly friendly chastity belt,' and ensure that I 'never again engage in my wanton rutting with any save thine own wife'?" asked Lancer, not rising from his kneel but looking up at his King dryly.

"It's him," Saber said dryly as both Masters burst out chuckling, before she threw her dignity to one side and embraced the Servant of the Lance. "Oh, my dear, dear friend," she muttered.

"The world is a brighter place that we have met again, your majesty," he agreed, a single tear coursing down one cheek. Their reunion was interrupted as Kariya's laughter devolved into a hacking cough, and Lancer moved to his Master's side. Irisviel grimaced at seeing bloodstains on his lips and the cloth he covered his mouth with.

"You're coughing up blood; that's a very bad sign for your health. Is that why you want the Grail?" she asked intently. "To heal yourself?"

"No," Kariya explained, "this is a side-effect of what I did to enter the war. The truth is, I don't want the Grail. That stupid cup can rot for all I care. Not for myself, at least." Irisviel motioned for the two servants to take their seats, and then for Kariya to continue. "To start with, what do you know about the Matou magecraft?"

"It specializes in absorption, which refers to taking an external power into one's self and controlling it. It also tends to rely heavily on familiars, I believe, and there is something odd about the Matou family Crest. Lastly, when it was known as the Makiri family the Matou helped organize and create the Heaven's Feel ritual; they developed the idea of the Master and Servant pairings, and were responsible for designing which classes Servant could be summoned into."

"Yes. But go back to what you said about familiars and the Crest. Rather than a regular Crest transplanted from the head to the heir, and made from past magi's circuits, we have Crest worms."

"Worms?" asked Irisviel, feeling an increasing sick feeling in her stomach.

"It's...easiest just to show you," he said darkly. Then a bulge grew up in his skin from the base of his collarbone. Slowly lengthening, Irisviel felt her gorge rise as the lump traveled half-way up the side of his neck. The bulge grew larger and sharper, pushing against the skin from the inside. Then, like an over-ripe pimple, it popped.

"Oh...oh, Root," Irisviel swore sickly as she stared at the pale green worm poking its head out of Kariya's flesh. The blunt end actually pointed at her, as though it could see, before it sank back into Kariya's flesh with a squelch, closing the wound behind it. "That's...that's..."

"Disgusting," the Master of Lancer agreed darkly. "Being trained as the Matou heir means letting the worms familiarize themselves with your body. And so would anyone who wished to marry into the family. It's why I originally left my home and name behind."

"Then why did you return?" she asked earnestly.

"The Matou are a dead line; it can no longer produce children with magical circuits. So instead Zouken adopted a child with circuits from another family and trained her as the replacement heir. It's barely been a year, and already Sakura has lost her ability to smile...or to cry."

"What knave would do that to a child?" Saber snarled, smashing her fist against the tabletop. "And who in their right mind would allow it to happen?"

"Tokiomi Tohsaka," Kariya answered, spitting the name out as though it were poison. "He only needed one child to inherit his Crest, so he threw away his younger daughter like garbage. But Zouken wants the Grail, and he swore that if I got it for him he would release Sakura from the family."

Irisviel bit her lip, tears in her eyes, digging her nails into her palms hard enough to draw spots of blood, and said, "I am a mother. The thought of any child, anywhere, going through that...it's unbearable. I want to help you."

"Indeed," Saber said, stone-faced. She could not yet fully accept the loss of her own chance at the Grail, but she had sacrificed her desires all her life. Once more could only hurt so much, and her honor would not allow this to continue. "To allow such a thing to occur, inaction is inexcusable! Lancelot, you serve my purpose many times in life, and this time..." she swallowed at the pain of the words, and the loss of her hopes that they represented. "...this time my sword shall serve you and your Master's purpose, and all who stand against us shall fall. We will free this girl."

"I cannot express my thanks enough, your majes-"

"But as I said, I am a mother," Irisviel cut in. Her eyes were closed, she refused to look at the others at the table, but both cheeks were wet. "My daughter remains at home under the care of my great-grandfather, who is also capable of terrible things. Our lives-" made for the sole purpose of containing the Lesser Grail, she thought, "-are worth no more to him than Sakura's or yours is to Zouken. I cannot, cannot endanger my daughter by betraying his orders."

"You...you won't help?" Kariya whispered.

"Irisviel-"

"My lady, please-"

"Tomorrow!" she said sharply, holding out one hand to stop the pleading. "I shall call home, discuss things, and if worst comes to worst I will try to arrange for my daughter to be taken safely out of Great-grandfather's hands, if possible. Return tomorrow, and I will answer whether or not I can rescue your little girl without endangering my own." She looked up at Kariya and held his gaze. "And know that either way, my hopes or prayers go with you."

"...I understand," the other master acceded, nodding. "I will take my leave now, and see you after tonight. Thank you."

"Saber, escort them to the perimeter and see them safely off," Irisviel ordered, and rose to find a telephone. She needed to speak with Kiritsugu.

She traveled through the winding corridors and opened the door to the room with the phone, and it immediately began ringing.

"Hello. Kiritsugu?"

"It's me, Irisviel. I just finished watching the footage."

"Oh, Kiritsugu, can we help them! I know you have your own wish for the Grail, but the thought of that...what if it were Illya!"

"One life, cannot outweigh the lives of the world, Iri, even if their help would go a long way toward claiming the Grail." Said the Magus Killer grimly.

"But Kiritsu-"

"I have a plan," he continued calmly. "I follow the path of least bloodshed, and I can see where I hope that path leads right now. I think you will approve, as well. This line might not be secure, so I'll come by in person to discuss it with you once the sun sets." There was a click as he hung up.

* * *

Saber walked down the street bathed in moonlight. Though she did not smile, her body hummed in excitement. Always before she had felt that her master was a coward, and likely a misogynist as well. _'Though given the era I come from, I am not one to throw such stones,'_ the Servant thought to herself, wondering if the word misogynist had been part of the download of the modern era her summoning granted.

She doubted it would have been used in her home time, as the sexes were not equal then, her own case notwithstanding.

"Wait. A bounded field," whispered the man walking beside her. Saber obediently halted as her Master went to work. For the first and possibly only time in the war, the most dangerous duo were openly cooperating.

Kiritsugu had explained his motives earlier:

 _There was no gain for anyone in what he wanted, Kiritsugu had said. If Zouken Matou is as twisted as Kariya claims, he wouldn't have given away the girl anyway. Or he would have, and then just taken her back after Kariya died. You could see that he doesn't have long left to live._

 _So instead of us helping him get the Grail, he's going to help us get the Grail. No, Saber, I don't intend to double-cross him. He'll help us out of gratitude, not hope or desperation._

 _I walk the path of least bloodshed. Kill ten to save one-hundred, one to save ten. He's not going to help us to rescue Sakura. He's going to help us because she's already been rescued._

 _Irisviel, stay here. I don't know everything he might have to play, but odds are Zouken's cards will be dangerous in the extreme. I know what type of magics would be used to stay alive as long as he supposedly has, and Kariya's description narrowed down the specifics a lot. We will need to hit hard and fast, with no distractions._

 _This time, Saber and I will act as a true Master and Servant, because this will need both our skills. There is no way to attack but from the front, so we will have to draw him out ourselves. Luckily, the older you are the more set in your ways you become. Zouken will not appreciate the attack on his home ground._

 _But old mages are also more powerful. It will take everything we have, but if we succeed, the Grail is all but assured to be ours._

"Done," he said softly. "Walk through the breech in this area." Saber nodded stiffly, drawing Excalibur as she entered the hostile territory.

No matter what, before the new day dawns, Zouken Matou would be dead come Hell or high water.

"What is our plan of attack?" she asked quietly.

"Through the front door, using shock-tactics to our advantage. Your magic resistance will neutralize any of his traps, and you can easily crush any physical threats. I will provide covering fire while you search for the girl."

"And what of the... creature?" she asked, refusing to dignify Zouken with a name or human title. It would be demeaning to mankind as whole to do so otherwise.

"Either he will flee, or he will fight. If the former, let him run. If the latter, engage and I will take over searching for the girl."

"What if he takes her as a hostage?" They were within sight of the door of Matou Manor. It had clearly once been a great house, but had fallen into disrepair, much like the family that lived in it.

"He will not. We simply need him dead more than we need her alive. If he kills her, which is what he would have to threaten to stop us, we can honestly tell Kariya that Zouken killed her, and he'll lose his chance at the Grail, as well as have two Servants after his head. Possibly three, depending on how important Tohsaka thinks she is."

"Not very," a decrepit voice echoed from above. Saber's eyes searched, but could find no target. Something rustled.

"Show yourself, coward!" she barked, readying her sword and fury flashing in her eyes.

"I prefer to call myself a pragmatist," the withered voice replied. "Giving you a target would be most unwise, young lady. I can match a Servant if I must, but would rather not have to. Now...why have you invaded my home? I am not participating in the Grail War, and the foolish boy refused my offer of hospitality, so there's nothing here for you. You wouldn't want the supervisor to hear of this violation, would you?"

"Saber, go!" Kiritsugu ordered, and the King of Knights put her rank A speed to good use, breaking through the front door like paper.

"I have protections against Servants, you know," Zouken's voice chided as a buzzing filled the air.

"Even ones with high magic resistance?" the Magus Killer countered. It went painfully against all of his usual modus operandi, but he needed to keep Zouken focused on him while Saber searched. _'Talking. Talking is good. Talking is better than killing.'_ He thought to himself. Luckily for him, Zouken seemed like a bit of a windbag.

"Well, in that case, the best thing to do is kill the master," the old monster replied. The humming in the air increased to a shriek as a swarm of insects rose into the air around him. More troubling, however, was the scores of worms breaking through the ground below and around him.

 _'Double Accel_!' Kiritsugu activated his crest and raced across the few empty patches of ground to hop onto a car's hood.

" _Five meter expansion. Fire barrier_!" he chanted, invoking his thaumaturgy. Flame blossomed out from around him, incinerating all the insects within five meters, but he was already chanting a second spell. " _Sub-maximum range field. Earth binding_." He jumped off of the melting car and onto the scorched ground, hissing as the remaining heat sizzled at and began to melt his boots, and touched a hand to the ground. Prana flowed out, spreading around him for over thirty meters and lingering as the familiar worms found themselves unable to move.

Then Kiritsugu collapsed against the ground, not caring that it was mildly cooking his coat, panting. His heart was hammering insanely from the time acceleration, and then using not one but two spells was pushing his limits dangerously. His fingers felt numb as he pulled a bottle out of his pocket and swallowed two pills dry, his heart rate beginning to decelerate.

"What's happ-" The bullet he shot at the man who'd burst out of the ruined door holding a young boy cut his question short.

"Get out of my sight, you useless fool, there are important things going on here," Zouken's voice snapped. The man (a relative of Kariya's, Kiritsugu guessed) needed no further invitation, hightailing it as fast as he could and taking the boy with him. Kiritsugu took the slight distraction as the blessing it was, regulating his breathing and ensuring all of his guns were still in easy reach.

'Thank heaven for magus pride,' he thought to himself. Magi usually treated duels like they were alternating-turn video games. One side would make a move, and then the other would counter try to pick apart the mystery before making a move of their own, on and on in a loop until one ran out of tricks. It was a stupid tactic that Kiritsugu abused countless times to kill his targets. A select few were smarter than that, but they were few and far between.

Giving Zouken several interesting mysteries to pick apart would hopefully buy him the time to recover his pulse and catch a second wind. He was a sitting target, but he'd counted on the old man's pride to keep him from abusing that weakness until he'd sadistically picked apart the Magus Killer's secrets.

"Well," the voice mused, "the fire was rather average, if effective. But what did you do to my pets on the ground? Ah, I see. Ingenious. You mixed the idea of Binding with the earth element to bind to the ground everything touching it. Thus, all my worms beneath the soil can no longer move, and if I were to step within range I would find myself similarly stuck and immobile as well. I may steal that idea, if you don't mind. After all, binding and absorption are very close."

 _'Just keep monologueing you old vampire,'_ Kiritsugu prayed, getting to his feet. A shrill scream from within split the night, and then a window exploded as Saber burst out with a terrified Sakura under her arm. She hit the ground hard but recovered easily as the swarm of carnivorous insects descended on her. Even with one hand used to hold Sakura, who was also throwing off her balance, Saber cut the insects from the air ten at a time, spinning fluidly.

Then suddenly, the swarm pulled away. It hung about the three of them thick enough to blot out their view of the surrounding area, but not one insect came within five meters of them.

"Shh... Be at ease, little one. We are here to save you," Saber whispered to the quivering Sakura, who merely scrunched her eyes shut tighter and whimpered.

"I fail to see how you hope to accomplish that," Zouken mused, "or what you hope to get if you do. Any other time my heir might have been a valuable steal, but very little of our crest or mysteries are with her now. What few I did not entrust to the fool of a son of mine I kept for myself, to be used against such interlopers."

"Well, then," Kiritsugu suggested with mock levity, "why not let us take her when we go? She's obviously not important to you right now, so why bother stopping us?"

"Aside from the fact that you violated my home? I just don't feel like." Said Zouken, who was probably shrugging at the moment.

"A liar and a coward," Saber spat. "Knave is too good a name for you, pestilent dog! You wouldn't be so brave if you left your shadows, but you must know that the stars themselves would recoil in disgust."

"If you're trying to lure me out, you're not doing a very good job," Zouken countered.

"Point. Saber, do it." Kiritsugu prepared another fire barrier mentally, knowing that he could cast that and one more tonight. It all came down to this.

 **' Release the Wind King**,' she thought to herself, and swung her sword in a wide arc.

The hurricane force gale scattered the swarm of insects in a frenzy, and she turned to face the mansion with her sword aimed at the sky. Motes of golden light were already shimmering around it.

" **EX** -" As her target was not a true fortress, and she wanted to limit the collateral damage, she did not need to charge for as long. At one third of the power it would be almost instantaneous.

The insects righted themselves and zoomed towards the Magus Killer with a shrieking buzz as Zouken realized her target. His house, which almost certainly held his workshop and the accumulation of centuries of research.

"Kill!" he commanded.

"Expand," Kiritsugu chanted, wreathing himself and Sakura in protective fire.

"- **CALIBUR**!" Saber roared, swinging her sword down. The blast of light from Excalibur, anti-fortress weapon and among the greatest of Noble Phantasms, simply vaporized the house it struck, leaving behind neither splinters nor ash.

"Mongrels!" shrieked Zouken. The flames around the two humans were snuffed out as Zouken absorbed the heat, adding the ambient prana to his own stores. "My worms' will devo-"

There were two sounds that cut him off: first the sound of a bullet striking flesh, however dead and rotten; second, the much louder sound of bullet striking wood, acting as a beacon for where the flesh was.

'Excellent work, Maiya,' Kiritsugu thought towards his assistant, who had made the shots at over 700 meters. He spun to face his 5 o'clock, drawing the Thompson Contender and aiming it at the wretch who had been shot out of the tree.

Zouken shrieked incoherently, the swarm of insects descending on them, and the Magus Killer squeezed the trigger of his mystic code.

In his fury Zouken had activated all of his worms and circuits to crush those who had set back his life's work beneath the weight of the swarm. Under the influence of the origin bullet they all twisted irrevocably, made useless or worse.

There was a screeching sound of pain, and a dry patter as hundreds of bugs rained from a sky. A few legs or wings twitched here and there, but it was obvious that they were all dead, and their master with them.

After more than two centuries of age and evil, Makiri Zouken was dead.

"A fitting end for such a monster," Saber said finally. "Is the child well?" Kiritsugu asked, gesturing to the girl he'd tucked beneath one arm.

"Either she's fallen asleep, or she's fainted. Likely the latter," he said checking her pulse and breathing. Both were present and stable. "Not that I blame her." She weighed almost as much as Illya, he realized idly. He felt a jolt of anger at the fate that had befallen her, and realizing that this could just as easily have been his daughter. "Let's get her to the castle and in bed. Though perhaps a bath and new clothes, first," he added, seeing the wet stain on her nightgown.

* * *

It was ten in the morning when Lancer and Kariya raced onto the Einzbern property and into the castle, meeting no resistance along the way. The former was concerned, the latter frantic with worry until Irisviel, meeting him in the hall as he babbled that the Matou mansion had been attacked the night before and some of the worms had acted up meaning Zouken did something and Sakura was missing, simply led him down the hall to a room and opened the door.

Kariya's frantic pleas for assistance stopped as though she'd hit mute.

Bundled up in clean sheets and a far-too-large nightgown from Irisviel, Sakura lay in a pool of sunlight, sleeping like an angel after the previous hectic night. Her uncle tottered over to her almost drunkenly and collapsed to his knees next to her. He wrapped his arms gently around her and she cuddled into him. Her nose scrunched up, and then her eyes opened gently.

"Uncle Kariya? I had the strangest dream," she whispered softly. Openly crying, Kariya pulled her into a tight hug which she returned as hard as her small arms could manage. Irisviel, Saber, and Lancer all merely stood in the doorway, content to watch. Finally, the older man pulled away and looked over his shoulder at the lady of the house.

"How?" He choked off, uncertain if this was real, or a sick and sadistic dream.

"I couldn't get permission to help you get the Grail," Irisviel began apologetically, but with an angelic smile, "so I decided to save her anyway and get the grail later."

The worm-ridden man pulled away from his honorary daughter and crawled over to Irisviel on his knees. She looked concerned and began to bend down, but he moved first, touching his lips to the top of each of her shoes, and then raising his head to look her in the eye.

"Ask of me anything in the world, and I will do it or die trying," he swore fervently. Irisviel smiled softly and helped him to his feet.

"Spend the day with her and have Lancer move your belongings into an adjacent room. Tonight we'll start winning the war."

* * *

Class: Lancer

Name: Lancelot du Loc

Alternate classes: Saber, Rider, Berserker

Strength: B

Agility: A+

Endurance: C

Mana: C

Luck: B

Phantasm: B

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: C

Riding: C

Personal Skills:

Protection of the Fairies: A

Bravery: C

Eye of the Mind (True): B

Guardian Knight: C

Noble Phantasms:

 **For Someone's Glory** : Represented by Lancelot's covered shield, For Someone's Glory allows Lancelot to both conceal his true identity and disguise himself as other Heroic Spirits. He can alter the appearance of his clothes, armor, weapons, and body in order to do this, or simply conceal the details of their appearance from observers. It is canceled by the activation of Du Loc.

 **Knight of Honor** : Allows Lancelot to transform anything he can get his hands on and use as a weapon into a D-rank Noble Phantasm for as long as he holds it in his hands. Even if it is a Noble Phantasm belonging to another Heroic Spirit he can use it flawlessly as though it were his own. He cannot uses something that has a higher purpose than being used as a weapon, but can repurpose items for use as weapons despite not usually being weapons (such as a pool cue by breaking it into a point). He loses the ability to use this in a fight after Du Loc is used.

 **Du Loc** : This phantasm takes the form of a jousting lance, and is not representative of a specific deed of Lancelot's, but rather of the accomplishments of all knights at jousting combined with Lancelot's personal superiority among knights. After it activates it has a blunted point until it has struck something (the same thing) three times, representing the three rounds knights would joust with each other. With the third strike, whatever he has attacked, no matter what it may be, shatters along with the blunting on the tip, and Lancelot can use the sharp lance to instantly make a direct strike against his target.

* * *

 **AN: So what did you think? I changed the identity of Berserker to a certain Viking who will be revealed at a later date. But yeah, I kept most of it the same.**

 **Tell me what you think!**

 ***Viking for fatass.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Of Kings, Fathers, and Conquerors

' _Sunset. The war will begin again soon.'_ Thought Irisviel to herself as she sat on the porch of the Einzbern base, staring out at the sunset. Lancer and Saber were catching up within while Kariya tucked Sakura in for bed. Kiritsugu was… doing whatever it was that he did for the war. Iri knew that her husband's methods of fighting were unorthodox, and many would consider them downright evil, but he did it to save people, as many as he could. It was one of the many things she loved about him. His… *ahem* prowess in the bedroom didn't hurt though.

Thinking of Kariya made the albino woman smile. She had only known the exiled Matou for a short time, but she was already quite fond of the man. He was a kind and generous soul, and obviously self-sacrificing given what he had done for Sakura. He must have been the black sheep of the Matou family, or the white sheep in a herd of black more likely.

With Lancer and Kariya allied with them victory was all but assured. There was no question that Lancer himself was a powerful Servant, the legend of Sir Lancelot du Loc was known far and wide, but his relationship with Saber made them all the more deadly a pair. They had fought and bled together in life. That familiarity and friendship would drive them to fight to the fullest to keep each other alive. It would make them a formidable duo.

However, this could also be an obstacle. In the end there could be only one Servant left standing, one of them would have to die. She hoped that Lancer and Saber could see the truth of this and agree to meet each other in the next life, but that was no sure bet. As much as Iri knew Saber liked her, she might well choose to side with her dearest friend over Irisviel. Iri shook her head, those things would have to wait. There were still many foes in the coming war.

The problem of Kariya's small reserves of prana had been solved. Iri, in addition to supplying extra prana to Saber, would do the same for Lancer. It would take much of the strain off of Kariya and make him more of use in fights against the other Masters should they arise.

Iri was interrupted from these thoughts by Kariya, Saber, and Lancer coming out onto the patio. Saber was clad in her suit rather than armor and Lancer had done the same garbing himself in one of Kiritsugu's suits. Iri had to admit that the Servant of the Lance was rather dashing in the get-up. She could see why he was such a desired man back in Camelot.

"Kariya, Lancer, Saber, sit down, please." Said Iri politely to her guests. "How is Sakura, Kariya? Is she sleeping well?" she asked, genuinely interested.

Kariya smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she was out the second her head hit the pillow." He said with a light smile. Then his face turned into a frown. "She'll be protected here, right?" he asked nervously.

Iri nodded confidently. "Indeed. The wards on this house are extensive, and the location is known only to a few. But if you're still uncomfortable there's another safe house we could move her to." She offered.

Kariya nodded. "That (cough, cough) would be nice." He said through his cough. "Thank you. I mean it, I can't thank you, Saber, and your husband enough for this." He said.

Saber put a comforting hand on the sick man's shoulder. "No matter Kariya, it is the duty of knights to protect the innocent. Lancelot and I would do it for any child in need." Said the King of Knights passionately.

Lancer nodded in ascent. "I only wish I had been there to aid you your majesty." Said Lancer in a bit of a melancholy tone. "You did a marvelous job from what I have heard, but it is my duty to be beside you in these things. I ask only to offer aid in your next escapade." He said politely. He failed that sworn oath in life, he would not do so again in death.

Iri cleared her throat. "Lancer I can assure you that you will be with us in our next battle tonight." She said assuredly. "But right now we must discuss our strategy." She said in a sterner voice, trying to imitate Kiritsugu's innate ability to command respect and authority. "I'd like to begin by knowing what your abilities are Lancer." She said, sitting back in her chair.

Lancer glanced at his master for permission, and Kariya nodded in ascent. "Well, I believe that a place to start would be **For Someone's Glory.** " He said. "As I demonstrated earlier, I can mask my identity by disguising myself with another connected with the Throne of Heroes." He said, shifting to resemble Achilles once more before returning to his normal form.

Saber smirked. "I recall you would often enter tournaments under a false name." she said, remembering happier times. "You claimed that you wished to be judged by your abilities rather than the fame your name brought you if memory serves." She said.

Iri nodded, processing the information. "Are there limits to the disguise? Can you adopt the Noble Phantasm of the Servant, or one you don't know the appearance of?" asked Iri.

"I cannot adopt the Noble Phantasms of my diguises as they are just that, a disguise. And, to be blunt, I have never met Achilles in my life." He said simply.

Iri frowned. "Ah. So you could, theoretically, shift into a Servant known to one of our enemies in the War, or shift into the enemy Servants themselves and take their Masters off guard?" she asked, a bit of a dark glint in her eyes.

Saber seemed taken aback. "Why Iri, I never would have expected this from you. Your husband perhaps." She said, thinking distastefully of the man.

Lancer himself considered the possibilities. "Yes… I suppose it would be possible. But I would have to know the identities of the enemy Servants before I could do such a thing." He said contemplatively. "Do we know of any of the Servants besides Iskander the Great?"

"According to what Kiri has found, Berserker is Erick the Red. Assassin is always one of the Hassan-i-Sabbah, but aside from that no." she said with a shrug.

Kariya interjected. "I thought Assassin was killed by Archer when he tried to break into Tokiomi's manor?" He asked.

"I thought so to, but Kiri found some flaws in the whole thing." Said Iri. "For one thing, no self-respecting Assassin would try to break-in in such an obvious way. It's like he was deliberately drawing attention to himself." She said, recalling Kiri's own ideas. "Also, Archer's little speech seemed almost rehearsed. Like he had planned it in advance."

"So, you're saying that Assassin faked his death?" asked Kariya. "Does that mean that Tohsoka and Assassin's Master are allied with each other?" he asked.

"It would seem so." She said grimly. "But a discussion on Assassin and Archer can wait. Right now I would like to know Lancer's other Noble Phantasms." she said, attempting to get the conversation back on track. While the team up of Assassin and Archer was intimidating, not even factoring in the abilities of their masters, she needed to know Lancer's Noble Phantasms so she and Kiritsugu could properly plan their next move.

"Well, my simplest but most physically powerful Noble Phantasm is **Du Loc** , represented by my Lance." Said Lancer, producing the weapon. Even blunted, the weapon was impressive. A tall and sturdy construction of pure steel. The slight blue hue of the lance seemed to glow a tiny bit in the dying light. Its color seemed to match that of Lancer's usual armor.

"An impressive weapon." Said Iri, "But why is the tip blunted? It seems counter-productive to its purpose." She said.

Lancer nodded. "It is, but it is part of the Noble Phantasm itself. **Du Loc** is supposed to be representative of my skill in the traditional jousting match. It is blunt for two strikes, but then becomes sharp and deadly upon the third strike and remains so thereafter. It is meant to be a finisher, being able to pierce through most any armor and hides. It is powerful, but if I use it then it will seal my other two Noble Phantasms from being used." He said, twirling the lance in his hands, showing little effort in slinging the obviously incredibly heavy weapon around.

"Basically it's a 'break glass in case of emergency' kind of thing." Supplied Kariya as Lancer dispelled his lance. "A last resort in case (cough, cough) his other methods fail."

Iri nodded. "I agree, but you mentioned three. What is your third Lancer?" she asked politely, taking another sip of her tea.

Lancer nodded. "My final Noble Phantasm is **Knight of Honor**." He said.

"A fitting name for your Noble Phantasm Lancelot." Said Saber with a small smile. It may have just been Iri's imagination, but did the mighty Lancelot du Loc blush at his king's praise. Kariya seemed to have noticed it to, and they shared a look. Had there been something… intimate between the two knights in life besides that of mere friendship? Iri shook her head. No, that was just silly. All the legends agreed that Lancelot had loved Guinevere.

Then again, they had also said that Saber had been a man.

"Anyway," continued Lancer, still a bit flustered. " **Knight of Honor** allows me to claim weapons as my own Noble Phantasms. They don't have any special abilities aside from being strong and durable and able to hurt Servants. I could not however, claim something like a lamp as it has a higher purpose as a light source. I could, however, rip out the cord and use it as a weapon since it would lose its higher purpose." He explained.

"Could you claim a Noble Phantasm from another Servant?" asked Irisviel, knowing that if he could it would make **Knight of Honor** an incredible weapon against their foes. Only if used properly though. Otherwise, it could prove disastrous.

Lancer nodded. "Yes I can, but the Noble Phantasm would lose its special abilities and become a simple weapon. Albeit one that can harm a Heroic Spirit, no small feat." Said the knight thoughtfully. "In addition, the weapons of Heroic Spirits have history and meaning in them that my own abilities would have to overcome." Said Lancer.

Iri frowned. "I'm afraid I don't understand." Said Iri.

Surprisingly, Saber answered. "Lady Iri, take Excalibur for example." She said. "People know of this weapon. It is famous and remembered for doing certain things. For being my weapon specifically." Said the knight, producing said sword. "The sword is part of my Legend, and part of me as a Heroic Spirit by extension. Lancer's Noble Phantasm would attempt to take that away from me, to remove part of my Legend from me and make it part of his." She said. "You can understand why that would be difficult to separate the two." Finished Saber.

Irisviel nodded. "I understand. The two ideas would be at odds." She admitted. "But it is still formidable weapon at our disposal. But could we have a demonstration?" she asked of the raven-haired knight.

Lancer frowned. "Well, I am not sure what I could use for one. I could break a leg off of the table of perhaps break… a…" he trailed off as he saw that Saber was offering the hilt of Excalibur to him. "No, no!" he said forcefully. "Your majesty I cannot." He said, standing up and shaking his head.

Saber sighed and stood with him. "Lancelot, do you trust me?" she asked sternly to the raven haired knight. The knight reluctantly nodded, still staring at the hilt of the proffered sword as though it were an asp preparing to bite his fingers off. "Then trust me now when I say you are worthy of holding my sword." She said in a commanding tone.

"Your highness, with all due respect, I am hardly worthy." He said with surprising bitterness in his voice. It sounded wrong, such a tone coming out of his mouth. "I seduced your wife, I betrayed both you and my oaths as a knight of Camelot, and I single-handedly caused the domino effect which led to the fall of your Kingdom!" he said, his tone slightly hysterical. "How, how in the name of God could you possibly forgive me for that!?" he cried.

Iri felt like an intruder. This clearly wasn't about the sword. This was shame, Lancer's shame from all those terrible years ago. This was between the two of them. A quick glance at Kariya and she saw that he seemed to think the same. Neither moved though, this was important. Lancer and Saber needed to work through the history between them if they were to work as a unit. Even though it felt wrong, she needed to see what happened between them.

Saber placed a single hand on the taller knight's shoulder. "Lancelot, do you remember the day we met?" she asked softly. "The battle of Chunnley. You had just landed ashore to see if the King of England was the legend you had heard of." She said.

" _Il y a si longtemps,_ " he said softly in his native French. "Yes, I could scarcely believe that such a King existed, that no King could be as unselfish and good as you were claimed to be. I had to see with my own eyes." He said, the memory of seeing the valiant English King charging into battle, protecting her people, though at the time he had believed her to be a man. "We shared a dream, a dream of a utopia. Where no man had to hide himself, where all were equal." He said, voice thick with emotion.

"Yes my friend, we did." She said. "But in the end, we both betrayed that dream." She said. Lancer looked up in surprise at Saber. "Yes Lancelot, we both betrayed that idea. The difference was, you did so for love." She said. "But me… it was jealousy. That is all." She said. "The one I loved… they had found joy in another's arms, and I could not bear it. My anger blinded me, and led to the fall of our dream." She looked back up, green eyes meeting dark blue. "Lancelot, my hand led to the fall of my own kingdom. My anger, my jealousy. That was my motive. But you… you were guided by love." She said, her hand moving from his shoulder and holding up Excalibur once more. "If any is worthy of this blade, it is you my dearest friend."

Very slowly, as though he might be struck down by Holy Wrath at any moment, Lancer's hand wrapped around the hilt of Excalibur. With deliberate slowness he pulled the blade from its sheathe, blue and silver wrapping around it as he claimed the weapon as his own. He grasped the hilt of the fully drawn blade with both hands, holding it before his face.

Then, like a viper striking he stabbed the weapon forward at Saber. Iri and Kariya jumped to their feet in surprise, prepared to defend Saber. But they saw, in truth, no harm had come to the King. The sword was held parallel to Saber's neck, a tiny cut the only discernable damage. Very slowly, a single hair severed by the sword drifted to the ground.

Lancer withdrew the blade and kneeled before Saber, offering the hilt to her once more. "I am unworthy of this weapon, my King. But upon it I swear to you my undying loyalty. And upon my life, I shall uphold it with my dying breath."

Saber retrieved the sword and it dissipated. "Rise Sir Lancelot du Loc, rise my friend." Lancelot obliged, and Saber wrapped him in a tight hug, all royal dignity forgotten. "Together my friend, we shall change the world." She said, barely above a whisper.

"A moving demonstration." Said the grim voice of Kiritsugu from to doorway. "And a true sight of the power of **Knight of Honor** , getting a Noble Phantasm to harm its own Heroic Spirit." He said, lighting a cigarette.

"Kiri!" cried Iri happily, wrapping her husband in a hug.

"Emiya-sama." Said Kariya getting up to shake Kiritsugu's hand. He was eager to directly thank the man who, according to Iri had played a large part in rescuing Sakura. But even though he was grateful to the man, Kariya was also reserved about him. Even as cut off from the magical world as he had made himself, he had heard about the infamous Magus Killer from Aoi. He had, however, saved someone close to Kariya. In addition he had killed Zouken. That alone was enough for Kariya to start to like the man.

Kiritsugu shook Kariya's hand. "Kiritsugu will do." He said bluntly.

"Kiritsugu." Said Kariya. "I… I wanted to thank you in person. Your wife says you and Saber saved Sakura. I know what kind of a monster Zouken was, it couldn't have been easy to beat him." He said giving a short bow to the Magus Killer.

"Help us win the Grail War. That will suffice for gratitude." Said Kiritsugu with a small grin. "And you're welcome." He said returning the short bow. Really Kiritsugu relished the custom coming from someone else. After so long amongst the Einzberns and other Europeans, it was refreshing to find someone who understood the customs from his homeland.

"Of course." Said Kariya. "The cup's yours. I don't want it." He said.

Kiritsugu nodded and turned to Lancer and Saber. Saber was looking at him with her usual air of mild contempt while Lancer's face was more curious than anything else. There was little sign of the emotional episode they had recently been through, at least in their faces. But their stances were different. It was like some invisible tension between them was gone. They were more at ease with each other. One demon down, a few thousand more to go.

No doubt Saber had told her friend about Kiritsugu, and he probably shared her views on Kiritsugu's methods. Kiritsugu didn't truly care though. Let them hate him so long as they obeyed him. It was probably a bad thing that he was quoting Emperor Tiberius, but then again what else was new. Bad things pretty much summed up his life. Irisviel and Illya excluded.

"You have an interesting set of Noble Phantasms." Said Kiritsugu to Lancer. "And before you ask, I caught everything on the cameras." He said, gesturing to the upper corner of the patio where a camera sat like a fat crow, observing all.

Saber snorted at him. "Aye, but how will you use them Kiritsugu." She said, careful not to use the term Master. Though she had already told Lancer that Kiritsugu was her true Master, and he would probably inform Kariya at the next opportunity, she wanted to present loyalty to her Master. Besides, Kiritsugu was by no means a foolish man. He could more than likely guess the situation and where she stood.

Kiritsugu blew out a puff of smoke. Rather than answering, he asked a question. "Lancer, how does your **Knight of Honor** work with more complex weapons? Ones with moving parts for instance?" he asked, his gray eyes calculating.

Lancer nodded. "I could, theoretically, use a more complex weapon in such a manner. However, given the complexity of the structure it would be less stable and break sooner than a sword or spear. In addition, I do not have experience with such weapons."

"But you can use them?" asked Kiritsugu. Lancer nodded. Kiritsugu gave a positively demonic grin. "Well in that case…" he gestured them inside. In the hallway sat a large red trunk. Kiritsugu opened the trunk, folding the lid up, and the front end down. Within the trunk were weapons. Guns, ammunition, grenades, various blades, even a crossbow. It was an arsenal large enough to arm a small Marine ground force. "Take your pick." Said Kiritsugu.

* * *

Despite what some of his less than couth rivals might say about him, Tokiomi Tohsoka loved his family. His love for his wife was not a passionate one, but it was stately and firm, as solid as stone. She had originally been arranged to marry her first love, Kariya Matou. But then Kariya had left his family, and the contract went to the Tohsoka. Tokiomi loved her though, for it was the kind of love that was built over years, stone by stone.

But his true love were his daughters. For them, he cared so much it almost physically hurt him. He adored both Sakura and Rin, the sweetheart and the little firecracker. Unlike many Magus fathers he had taken a direct and present role in raising both of them. He had changed their diapers, bandaged their skinned knees, taught them to ride their little bikes, and generally thrown himself into the role of a father with a gusto that before he had only shown in his magic studies.

But therein lay the problem. He was a Magus. Not just any Magus, but the head of a very old and very powerful family. And he had two heirs, both of whom he loved unconditionally. Many Magus Families would simply allow the younger to wither into obscurity, or simply kill them and be done with it. But such a thought was unthinkable for Tokiomi. He loved both Sakura and Rin, and they both showed so much potential. And yet only one could inherit the Tohsoka Crest. It was this problem which he had attacked with all of his not inconsiderable mental powers. He wanted both Rin and Sakura to grow as Magi, but the secrets of the Tohsoka could only pass to one.

When Zouken Matou had approached him with the proposition of adopting Sakura into the Matou, Tokiomi had been suspicious. The Tohsoka and the Matou had always been on relatively good terms, meaning they weren't outright trying to kill each other. But still, Tokiomi knew very little about the way Matou magic worked. This was not strange, Magus Families guarded their secrets jealously, but what he DID know disturbed him. It involved insects, and was centered on absorption. That was the extent of Tokiomi's knowledge on it. Zouken would never reveal his family secrets in a million years. Tokiomi could have asked Kariya about it, but he and Kariya had never especially liked each other. He didn't trust Kariya to give an honest answer, and he didn't want to ask his wife's first love for help. Call it male pride.

He had accepted, however, for two reasons. The first was that the Matou and the Tohsoka had a long history of good relations. He by no means trusted the old man, but he did believe that Zouken had no reason to lie about teaching Sakura magic. Secondly, this deal was literally the solution he had been waiting for. Both of his daughters could live up to their true potential, and both would become the inheritors of a powerful Crest.

It had hurt, oh it had hurt like HELL to give one of his daughters away, but he had sat the family down and explained the situation. It was for the best, they had agreed, and Sakura agreed to go as long as her family could visit. Tokiomi had sent his daughter off, confident he had done the right thing for both of the children he loved so dearly.

He was now of a different opinion.

When his wife had told him of the look of horror that had crossed Kariya's face when he heard of the deal, he had become uneasy. Just because he didn't like Kariya, or respect him that much for walking away from his rightful place as a Magus, Tokiomi also knew that Kariya knew Matou magic. And from what Aoi had told him, Kariya had looked like a man struck by a lightning bolt. Still, Tokiomi had been able to shake it off. He had chalked it up to jealousy on the younger man's part. Nothing to worry about.

But then the events of last night had unfolded, and now it felt like Tokiomi had been the one hit by a lightning bolt.

He was taking an incredible risk, leaving Fuyuki to visit his wife and daughter in their safe house, but he had no choice, He had to tell them what had happened, the tragedy that had unfolded. Even now, Tokiomi felt like he was weighted down by chains of iron. Archer had scoffed when he had found out he was leaving, but said nothing more. Tokiomi couldn't bring himself to care, not really. He had more important things on his mind than the arrogant King.

When he saw Aoi it took all of his iron control not to burst into sobs. He had brought both his wife and daughter into the livingroom of the safe house. He knew that his destitute expression was worrying them, but he couldn't bring himself to change it.

Tokiomi, darling. What's wrong? What's happened?" asked Aoi as she sat down across from her husband. Rin was standing beside her mother, clutching Aoi's fingers tightly. The little girl worshiped her father, and seeing him so… defeated was terrifying.

"Aoi… I'm not sure how to say this." He said, looking down, his voice sounding hollow. "Last… last night. Last night… Matou Manor was destroyed. It was simply gone, obliterated. Zouken was found dead outside. He was shot by some enchanted bullet." He said.

Aoi made a strangled sound in her throat and her hands went limp. She had the expression of one who had been stabbed multiple times in the heart. She knew damn well what the implications of this were. If Matou Manor were simply gone and the head of the family murdered then Sakura was, in all likelihood, dead as well. But if the guilty party hadn't killed her then they might have decided to do something else.

Magi were well known for a lack of scruples. Experimentation on human beings, even children, were not unheard of.

Rin, though young, knew what her father was saying as well. Though she didn't know of the evils of the world of Magi yet, she knew that her sister was likely dead. For Rin, it was all the more devastating. She had loved her sister dearly, and when she had become a Matou it had hurt her terribly. But now, believing that she was dead… it felt like a piece of her heart had been torn away from her. It was spiraling down, down, down, further away from her into a dark place where no light or joy could reach.

"S-Sakura?" Aoi managed to get out through the tears that were rapidly coming.

Tokiomi shook his head. "No sign. We know nothing." He said quietly.

"Oh… oh God. OH GOD!" cried Aoi, folding in on herself, her body shuddering with sobs. It couldn't be… it just couldn't! Sweet, kind, wonderful Sakura couldn't be dead! It was impossible. It was some sort of black practical joke played by the world. It had to be a nightmare, anything but reality! Not her little Sakura.

Rin felt as though she had been hit by a truck. She staggered back, clutching her chest, shaking her head. "Father… father no!" she cried, rushing up to her father. She grabbed his arms and began to shake it aggressively. "Papa… it can't be! Please papa!" she cried, tears in her face. If father didn't have the answers… Rin didn't know what she would do.

Quite suddenly, Tokiomi was embracing both her and Aoi. He hugged them tightly as though they would disappear at any moment. Quietly, as though he were afraid of being heard, he spoke. "I'll find her. One way or another… I'll find her."

For a long time the Tohsoka family merely stayed there, grieving in each other's arms. Even Tokiomi, though he did not sob, allowed tears to fall. He needed to, because that is what crying is. Crying is like a baptism. The water flows over you, and it cleanses you. It allows you to let lose all the pain and sadness. It allows you to empty yourself, cleanse yourself, and allow yourself to be filled with something new.

That night Tokiomi Tohsoka, one of the mightiest and most respected Magi in all of Japan returned to Fuyuki filled with iron determination. The War? Backburner. Save it for later. None of his allies were going to like it, but the War was second priority right now. He had made a mistake, a terrible and dreadful mistake by giving Sakura away. Now he was going to find her. If she was alive, he would bring her back to his family. If she was dead, he was bringing back her body to bury. He was not going to let the murderers of Zouken live. Justice was going to be dealt, swiftly and harshly. Whether by his own hands, or by the hands of the King of Heroes, Tokiomi Tohsoka was going to bring his daughter home.

No matter the cost.

* * *

Kayneth Archibold El-Melloi slumped down in his chair in the penthouse suite of the hotel where he was staying. Sola-Ui, his fiancé, sat beside him, as far away from the third occupant of the room as she possibly could. Kayneth himself faced the third occupant, the Servant Berserker, Erick the Red of Viking fame.

The Viking was standing against the wall, glaring at Kayneth with barely veiled hatred. Kayneth had temporarily released the Mad Enhancement upon the Servant to conserve prana, and now the sane Servant was looking positively murderous.

"If ever I get the chance, Englishman." Snarled the red-haired Viking. "If ever once I get the chance, yer a dead man." Snapped Berserker. Even though the Mad Enhancement was cancelled, at least for the moment, the Servant still looked like a dangerous wild animal. His tangled mass of red hair, both on top of his head and his beard, was remarkably similar to the color of blood. Without the Mad Enhancement, his storm cloud gray eyes burned with inner fury.

Kayneth glared, unintimidated by the powerful Viking, or if he was he simply didn't show it. Sola-Ui was inclined to believe the later. "And banish yourself to the Throne of Heroes once more? Deny yourself your wish? Even a brutish idiot like you can understand the stupidity in that." Said Kayneth with a sneer. In response, the Viking snarled like a wolf.

"Perhaps, Kayneth, it would be wise NOT to anger the Heroic Spirit who is to win you the Holy Grail, _dearest_." Said Sola-Ui, half on sarcasm and half in fear. The huge Viking never ceased to terrify her. Even out of his Mad Enhancement his mere presence gave her the willies. The English and Irish alike had suffered much at the hands of the Vikings, and Erick the Red was no exception. Most remembered his founding of Greenland and Iceland, not to mention North America. But many forgot that Erick the Red was also a bloodthirsty conqueror.

Berserker sneered at Kayneth. The two had hated each other from day one. Berserker was loathe to work under an 'English dog', and Kayneth simply despised him for not being Iskander the Great, his first intended Servant. Under the Mad Enhancement it was easier to manage, but even then Berserker seemed to find ways to defy Kayneth. The two were a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. Either Berserker would decide that killing Kayneth was worth more than his wish, whatever it may be, or Kayneth would decide the same thing. It was enough to make Sola-Ui wish for the hotel to blow up and kill them both.

"Ye should listen ta yer lass there Englishman. Ye English bastards always did answer to the womenfolk. Had ya by the balls then and they got ya by the balls now." Said the Servant viciously.

"Silence, dog." Snarled Kayneth, gripping the sides of his chair tightly.

"Back when I was a commander, cows like yerself got thrown overboard." Snapped Berserker. "No room fer cowards who hide behind others on my ship. Either ya carried yer own sword or ya went overboard! You'd a' been dead before the first raid." Said Berserker, smirking as he watched Kayneth's face grow redder and redder. Sola-Ui was inclined to agree with the Servant of Madness on that score, but she politely kept such opinions to herself.

That was when the hotel blew up.

0

The Last thing Sola-Ui remembered was a deafening explosion and the distinct feeling of falling. The last thought that she remembered going through her head was that she was very much going to die. So here was a little conundrum for her mind to puzzle out: how was she still alive albeit with a Holy Grail sized headache?

The red-head opened her eyes and looked about. She was lying on her back on an old and ratty sofa in, what looked like, a ruined warehouse. Either she was remembering the night of her junior prom or Kayneth had somehow saved her from the explosion.

Speaking of the Lord El-Melloi, he was hovering around her, a worried expression on his face. His expression looked like a worried little boy that was looking at someone he loved on the operating table. It was sweet, she thought, to see such concern in his eyes.

Kayneth jumped when he saw Sola-Ui stir, and an expression of joy came over his face. However, as quickly as it appeared, his face resumed the expression of haughty superiority over all of those around him. "Sola-Ui, are you harmed?" he asked in a clinical and detached tone. "I repaired any extensive damage I could find, but If there is anything else it would be wise to let me know." He sounded like he was making an academic dissertation.

Sola-Ui flopped her head on the couch and groaned. "What happened? I remember the hotel blew up and that's about it." She said.

Kayneth's expression morphed into one of cold fury. It was drastically different from the rage he had shown at Berserker's stinging barbs which had seemed more like a childish tantrum. This was stone-cold righteous fury. _'By the Root, Kayneth actually looks like a Lord.'_ Thought Sola-Ui to herself.

"The Magus Killer. The Einzberns have hired him to win the war for them. The… bastard used explosives to blow up our base after calling in a bomb threat." Kayneth's hands clenched into fists and he stared at the opposite wall as though to burn a hole through it with the raw force of his rage alone. "A Magus… one of our own… has DARED to attack us with mundane weaponry!" he snarled. "He nearly killed you, and was too cowardly to do it like a true Magus." Said Kayneth, his anger steadily building.

Quite suddenly, Kayneth whirled around and stalked toward the door. "Berserker! You will remain here and guard Sola-Ui with your life! I am going to deal with a certain cowardly disgrace upon the Magus name!" thundered Kayneth.

Sola-Ui paled. She was to be left alone with that… man. She felt terror spring up in her heart. Kayneth had not used a Command Seal to prevent harm from coming to her, and if the Mad Enhancement was not upon Berserker then the Servant might very well choose to harm her to get to Kayneth. She wouldn't put it past the Viking.

Sola-Ui stood, fighting the vague feelings of vertigo that threatened her as she quickly stood, and made with the intention to go after Kayneth. She was, however, stopped by a blow to the head from behind, knocking her unconsciousness.

Berserker was many things, but a fool was not one of them. A fool didn't use a command seal to ensure his fiancé's safety from the powerful and pissed of Viking that clearly hated your guts. Erick was no such fool. In life he had been an explorer, a conqueror, a leader of men. He wasn't about to start taking orders from an English incompetent who hadn't the brains to secure his woman's safety.

While he was no genius, Berserker certainly was quite bright, and he had a plan for getting rid of Kayneth and remaining in the War while at it. It was by no means foolproof, it rested largely on Kayneth mucking things up as per usual, but Berserker knew that he could improvise if need be.

He was going to show that little blonde ponce what it meant to tangle with Erick the Red, greatest among the Vikings since Beowulf himself.

* * *

Class: Berserker

Name: Erick the Red

Alternate Classes: Saber, Rider, Lancer

Strength: B (With Mad Enhancement), C (Without Mad Enhancement.)

Endurance: A (With Mad Enhancement), B (Without Mad Enhancement)

Speed: B+ (With Mad Enhancement), C- (Without Mad Enhancement)

Mana: E

Luck: C

Phantasm: B+

Class Skills:

Mad Enhancement: C

Personal Skills:

Eye of the Mind (False): C

Mystic Face: C

Noble Phantasms:

 _Skraeling_ , C: Berserker's sword, forged by Eitri the dwarf himself and imbued with godly essence. The first strike of _Skraeling_ will never miss its target and cannot be blocked or parried. Can only be used once per battle.

 _Woodan_ , D: Berserker's small axe. Will cleave through enchantments as easily as butter, but rather weak against conventional armor.

 _Langniðiar_ , B: Berserker's lance, cooled in the blood of Berserker's enemies. Will sap life out of the wound and transfer it to Berserker, increasing Berserker's stats and healing his wounds. Unless it is broken or Berserker is killed, the wounds dealt to a Servant will heal at the same rate a normal human's wounds heal, all the while adding to Berserker's stats.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Clash of Kings

Fuyuki Park during the day was a wonderful place to be. Families played with their children there, couples walked their dogs, picnics were had, and all around it was a positive place to be. It was a green place, almost year round. People said that there was a curious magic about the place. It was place of joy and love.

But tonight it was to become a place of desolation and destruction.

The party of Kariya, Irisviel, Saber, and Lancer in his Achilles disguise were moving through the park, Kiritsugu somewhere in out and away to do his part from the shadows, along with Maiya. The strange party of the albino woman, two knights and one disfigured man would have stuck out like a sore thumb anywhere but tonight that was the point. It was Kiritsugu's opinion that there was a Master and Servant in the park, and they needed to draw attention to themselves to draw them out. Then, Kiritsugu could strike while said Master was distracted.

At least that was the plan. They had been in said park for three hours, and no one had showed up. Kariya checked his watch and scowled at the time. "It's eleven thirty. I'm starting to think that our Master is a no-show." Said the exile Matou with a glance at Iri.

Iri sighed. "Let's give it another half-an-hour. Till midnight. Then we'll move on." Said the Einzbern heiress. In truth she too had doubts, but she trusted Kiritsugu. Although, he was still human, and susceptible to error. If there was no one here then they would have wasted most of the night. Not that she was eager for a battle, but she did want to end the war as soon as possible. The sooner it was over the sooner that Kiritsugu could get his wish and she… she wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore.

Saber narrowed her eyes and glanced about. "Nay, Irisviel. There is something here, I can feel it." She said, readjusting her grip on Excalibur. "Lancer, with me. I feel something in the trees. Kariya, Irisviel, stay back." She instructed.

Lancer nodded and drew the greatsword he had been given by Kiritsugu. That, along with a handgun in a holster at his sides were his weapons under the influence of **Knight of Honor**. He hadn't wanted to take a gun, they seemed too cowardly a thing to use for a knight. Hell, he hadn't exactly been a fan of bows in life. But pragmatism had overcome knightly honor, and had accepted a semiautomatic pistol. He would stick to his sword though. It was no Arondight, but it was of fine make and would have to do.

There was suddenly a slow clap from the woods, and a drawling voice accompanied it. "My, my. How perceptive of you Saber." Said the voice, dripping with arrogance and sarcasm. "I was wondering when you bumbling mutts would finally catch onto my hiding place."

Saber dropped into fighting position. "Show yourself craven, and die like a warrior!" she snarled, Lancer taking up a defensive position beside her.

A loud and powerful laugh boomed from the woods. "Oh my. These two fools think they can challenge me? The King of Heroes? Oh that is simply hilarious. I have not laughed like this in quite some time." Said the voice.

And then, at the top of a tree, he appeared. He was a young and handsome man, with chiseled features and a look of permanent amusement on his face. Like the world was a joke that only he could perceive, and you were the punchline. His armor was solid gold, and seemed to almost shine like a sun in the pale moonlight. His eyes were red, blood red, and they also were filled with arrogance. He looked down at Lancer and Saber with a practiced haughty look.

"Archer." Said Lancer to himself, recalling the particularly brutal way this newcomer had supposedly dispatched Assassin. Unorthodox to be sure, but frightening in its capabilities. He remembered the blood raining down from the supposed Assassin's death. Lancer steeled himself, fighting back the icy fear in his gut. He could not afford to show fear here. He could not allow this Servant to see his unease. It was one of the ways both he and Arturia had intimidated their foes in life. By presenting a mask of cool indifference in battle, many were nonplussed.

It seemed that Archer was made of sterner stuff, for he matched their cool exterior with one of his own. "Indeed, insignificant mongrel. And the two of you seem to be the Servants Saber and Lancer. How fitting, the three Knight classes here together, two to be destroyed by the third." He said, his red eyes laughing at them.

There was a sudden whoosh behind them, and Lancer and Saber found that they were separated from their Masters by a wall of fire between them. "No, Irisviel!" she cried in a panic, preparing to run for her Master and do her duty as a Servant. Lancer stopped her though, grabbing her around the middle.

"My King, no!" he cried. "Not yet. We must deal with the greater threat." he said, gesturing up to the still smirking Archer. "Irisviel and Master Kariya must fend for themselves." He said gently.

Saber gritted her teeth and mentally cursed, but she knew that Lancer was right. Against a Master, Irisviel and Kariya could hold their own, or at least until Kiritsugu could act. But a Servant, especially one like Archer, could not be matched by their Masters. Saber and Lancer would have to deal with Archer. Kariya and Irisviel were on their own.

Suddenly, from behind Archer, there flared a golden light. Saber and Lancer jumped into a battle stance, facing the Servant of the Bow. Behind the gold clad Servant was a massive golden circle of pure light, interlaid with Sumerian glyphs. Archer smirked. "The **Gate of Babylon**." He said with a smirk. "I hope the two of you can last a bit longer than that fool Assassin. Now cower mongrels. Cower before the might of Gilgamesh: the King of Heroes! Prepare to meet your death mongrels!" And with that, dozens of swords shot at them from the circle.

* * *

Kariya and Irisviel, meanwhile, were faced with a threat of their own. Within the fiery circle, approaching them slowly, was Tokiomi Tohsoka. With the fire behind him, his red suit reflecting the orange flame, he looked like an incarnation of the Devil himself. And the look on his face, a look of bloody murder, did not help put Irisviel's mind at ease.

She cursed herself for being caught so easily. She should have seen this coming, and now hers and Kariya's Servants were unable to aid them against Tohsoka. Hell, she doubted that Kiritsugu could get a clear shot through the wall of fire. But then she looked at Kariya, and she knew that the exiled Matou would not have this any other way.

The look on Kariya's face was one she had only ever seen on his when he mentioned Zouken. It was hate, a dark and terrible hatred manifesting in an animal snarl across his deformed features. Combined with the light and shadow cast by the fire he looked like a monster, more terrible than any in her books or stories. A demon and a monster facing each other. This was going to get really ugly... really, really fast.

"Kariya." Said Tokiomi in a low and deadly voice that somehow boomed over the roaring flames. "I should have known that you would be here. For all your talk about leaving magic behind, you're still as hungry for the Grail as us all." Said the Tohsoka patriarch in a venomous tone. It was clear that any hatred Kariya felt for Tokiomi was reciprocated by the man.

"You're one to talk you bloodthirsty hypocrite." Snarled Kariya viciously. "You sold your own daughter you bastard! You SOLD your damn DAUGHTER! After you claimed to love her, after you claimed to love her mother, YOU SOLD HER TO THAT HEARTLESS DEMON!?" roared Kariya, his crest worms squirming under his skin at their hosts agitation.

Tokiomi thrust out his cane, pointing it at Kariya. "Do not speak to me of that! I loved Sakura, and it tore me apart to give her away."

"LIAR!" screamed Kariya, and a swarm of insects blasted from him, flying at Tohsoka. The action prompted Irisviel as well, and she quickly crafted flock of birds from her wires to join the insects attacking Tohsoka. The birds however, were merely a distraction, as Tohsoka summoned fire to combat his attackers.

Irisviel faced Kariya. "Kariya, we need to think this through. I have an idea, but I'm going to need your help." She said quickly. She needed to move fast to put her plan into motion, but she needed Kariya to be thinking clearly.

Or did she?

"I need you to distract Tohsoka for a few minutes. I have a plan." She said with as much confidence as she could muster. "Do anything you have to, just keep him occupied." She said. "Can you do that?"

Kariya gave a savage smile. "Irisviel, it would be my unique pleasure." He said with gusto. At that moment there was a final explosion of fire from Tohsoka, destroying both Kariya's insects and Irisviel's birds. Irisviel leapt away, leaving the two men to battle while she prepared her trap. "I hope you're ready to die Tohsoka." Said Kariya venomously.

Tokiomi gave a predatory grin. "I believe that I should be the one asking that, Kariya my friend."

* * *

It was strange, how the most trivial of things came to one's mind at a time of emergency. For Lancer, it was the thought that, even if he would lose his weapons given to him by Kiritsugu, he would have no want of replacements. He didn't know how many weapons Archer had in his seemingly never-ending supply, but judging by the arrogant look on Archer's face he wasn't running out anytime soon.

It hadn't been a fight so much as it had been target practice for Archer with Saber and Lancer dodging and parrying Archer's attacks every which way. The attacks were constant, so neither could hope to prepare a defense or counter attack. He wasn't accurate, per say, but the range and the spread of his attacks made them near impossible to dodge. At least not without entering the path of another missile.

And to make matters worse, Archer never. Fucking. Shut. UP!

Lancer appreciated a good mid-battle banter as much as any knight, but with this Gilgamesh it was just getting obscene. The Servant kept blathering on and on about how great he was, how perfect, and how pathetic they were in comparison. Dear God, it was enough to make Lancer want to stab himself and end it all! It was simply ridiculous, how high an opinion Archer had of himself. God in Heaven, and Lancer thought Mordred had an ego.

Gilgamesh. The name that Archer had declared was his. The name was familiar, even back during life he was certain he had heard it. And now that he had the name, he could use his connection to the Throne of Heroes to learn about Archer. So he had set himself on autopilot, dodging Archer's attacks with instinct rather than actually thinking about it. All the while, searching more and more through the Throne of Heroes about Gilgamesh.

' _Gilgamesh.'_ He thought to himself, dodging another barrage and flinching as he felt one of the swords nick his arm causing him to almost lose his own sword. _'King of Uruk. Hailed as the first hero. Two thirds a God, not sure how that works. Arrogant. Inflated sense of self-importance. One true friend named…'_ Lancer nearly stumbled into the path of a projectile as the idea came to him. The way to lay low this pompous ass once and for all.

"MY KING!" called Lancer to Saber as they raced about the battlefield. Both of them bore cuts and scrapes from Archer's onslaught, Saber less so with Avalon at her hip, and they could only continue to dodge for so long. "My King, I have an idea!" he cried as they landed next to each other, back to back.

"Tell me Lancer, and it had better be amazing. Otherwise we will not last the night." She said, deflecting an attack with a flick of her wrist.

"I do, but I will need to get close." He said. In a hushed tone, he imparted his plan to her. It was a simple one, but one that might be exactly what they needed to survive, or perhaps even salvage a victory from all of this.

Saber frowned. "It is risky my friend." She said in way of acknowledgement. "But are you certain it can work?" she asked of him.

Honestly? Lancer had no idea. And yeah, it could easily backfire on the both of them. But they'd been playing 'dodge the sword' for too long. All Archer had to do was wait for them to tire before finishing them off with his seemingly endless horde of weapons. It would only be a matter of time. So now was the time to do something desperate, and this foot that bill. High risk yes, but also high reward. They had the chance to finish off one of the strongest of all the Servants of the Grail War. And they had to seize it.

So he nodded. "Aye my King. Just get me an opportunity to get close, and then we shall finish it." He said as confidently as he could manage.

Saber smiled. "Then go old friend, I shall deal with this cur." She proclaimed. Lancer gave a quick bow and the dashed into the trees. Saber dodged another set of swords rushing at her before crying aloud, "CRAVEN!" she roared at Archer. "To sit atop your tree so proudly, lording over us like a King, when all you truly are is a coward and a wretch!" she insulted the Golden King.

Archer glared down at her with an imperious glare. "You dare insult ME woman?! I, the First Hero? I the King on the Golden Throne? Others have done as you have done, and none have survived to tell of it." Snarled Archer viciously. The attacks, however, had stopped, giving Saber a moment of much needed reprieve.

"Then prove it to me King of Heroes. Prove you are worthy of such an outlandish title! Face me Gilgamesh. Take up one of your prize blades and wield it as a warrior should, not as a child's toy to be thrown about." She declared, her green eyes blazing.

Archer's gaze was so furious it could have melted iron. This… this lowborn whore had DARED to insult him! He could finish her off as easily as batting an eye and she dared to think herself his equal? This wench who made play at being a King?! Archer knew he should just us his **Ea** to destroy her, but that would be too easy. He was going to make this bitch PAY for insulting him in such a way. He was going to humiliate, disgrace, and ruin her before finally ending her worthless life.

Archer leapt from the tree, summoning one of his swords to his hand and leveled it at her. "You will pay whore." He snarled. And with that he charged forward, swinging with his blade, meeting her own invisible one in a furious shower of sparks. He quickly summoned a second blade in his other hand and jabbed forward, but Saber proved too quick. She twisted out of the way of his stab and parried the blade, knocking it out of the King's hand. Archer leapt away, summoning another weapon, this time a small axe.

Saber moved into a defensive stance, slowly circling Archer. The Golden King himself was suspicious. He was still seeing red, but he was not stupid. He had seen the skill of Saber from afar when she had dueled with Rider and Berserker. It didn't add up in his head. She was fighting purely defensive against him, not pressing any attack. What was she playing at?

He shook those thoughts from his head as he renewed his assault on the female Servant. His pride would not allow him to back down from her challenge. He jabbed with his sword once more while bringing his axe up to strike.

Saber parried and elbowed Archer in the gut, forcing him back. Saber resumed her defensive stance and smirked at Archer. "Is this the extent of your skill, King of Uruk? I have fought squires with more battle grace than you." She boasted.

Archer snarled like a lion and attacked once more, attacking with a more controlled edge at this point. Now he drew upon years of training and skill acquired throughout his life to use against Saber. But it seemed that, no matter what he did, he was not the equal of Saber who continued to play the defensive. "You dance well little woman, you know you only prolong the inevitable." He sneered at Saber. Saber did not respond, merely stood as still as a statue, waiting for Archer to strike. "Nothing to say? No final words?" he taunted. Again, she said nothing.

Quick as an asp he lunged forward, feinting with his sword and swinging towards Saber's head with his axe. Saber, however, was not fooled, and parried his blow and stabbed once more, creating a gash in Archer's cheek. She then jumped back, and waited.

Archer dropped both of his weapons and slowly brought his hand up to his wound. He brought it away and stared at the blood on his fingers. It took a moment to comprehend what he was seeing. Someone, someone who was not his beloved friend, had injured him. Had DARED drawn his blood.

Now Archer was no longer angry. He was beyond that. He was beyond fury, beyond rage, he was goddamn WRATHFUL! With an inarticulate scream of fury he began to glow with golden light. His armor was blasted away leaving his shirtless. His torso began to glow with scarlet tattoos matching the color of his eyes. Archer brought his hands together and cried out " **EA!** " In his hands appeared a sword, a golden hilted weapon with a black blade and glowing red marks matching the tattoos on his torso. It was **Ea** : the anti-world Noble Phantasm.

" **ENKIDU**!" He screamed out. Instantly the area was flooded with golden light as Gates of Babylon opened around Saber. From within the Gates sprouted chains, golden chains. Chains forged by the Gods themselves. The chains wrapped around Saber, binding her as the female Servant cried in shock and anger.

Archer knew he had to act fast. The **Enkidu** chains were meant to hold those of divine origin, to Saber they would be nothing more than a very strong chain. Strong, but still one she could break. "DIE!" he screamed out, charging forward, preparing to unleash the full and true power of **Ea** upon Saber.

"GILGAMESH! STOP NOW!" cried a voice from behind him.

Gilgamesh knew that voice. He knew it so well. How could he not? How could he not know the voice of the one being who he had ever considered his friend? The only one to ever truly be his equal. The only one he had ever truly loved.

Gilgamesh slid to a halt and wheeled around, and his scarlet eyes met those that he knew so well. Those that he would recognize anywhere. The green hair that glinted in the moonlight and firelight. The wild look and the plain white robes. The spear was a simple shaft of wood with a bronze tip, but there was no mistaking the identity of the newcomer.

It was Enkidu, the truest friend that Gilgamesh had ever had.

 **Ea** clattered from Archer's hands and his tattoos faded away as he stared in utter shock. His mind refused to accept the information that Enkidu, the beloved friend whom he had lost so long ago, was standing in front of him. Also, though he did not notice it, the chains binding Saber had fallen away as his mind refused to focus on anything but the fact that Enkidu was standing in front of him.

"E-Enkidu. Is it truly you?" he asked aloud of the green-haired man before him. He never got his answer, for two things happened as soon as the words left his mouth. First, Enkidu smirked and dissolved into astral form. As that happened he heard, from behind him, the sound of running feet and the cry of the most powerful of Saber's Noble Phantasms.

" **EXCALIBUR!** " And as the attack struck him and the power of the King of Knights tore him apart, only one thought entered Gilgamesh's head. One thought and one thought alone that sent him deep into a black and terrible despair unlike any other.

Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, the First Hero, the Archer of the Fourth Holy Grail War, the Servant who could have ended the War in one night if he had chosen to do so, died for the second time believing that his only friend had betrayed him.

* * *

For Tokiomi Tohsoka, he had not expected much of a fight from Kariya. The exiled Matou, he knew, had little to no training in magic if Zouken was to be believed. He had expected to defeat Kariya rather quickly and wring the truth out of him within moments of engaging him.

What he had not counted on, he saw now, was the sheer ferocity and rage with which Kariya attacked him, immediately putting Tokiomi on the defensive. The Einzbern woman, much to his frustration, was working on something in the corner while she countered Tokiomi's own attacks at the same time; protecting both herself and Kariya as the exiled Matou pressed his weak but relentless attacks against Tokiomi.

What was even more frustrating was that Kariya did not fight like a true Magus. Due to his lack of training, all of his attacks were improvised and wild, difficult for Tokiomi to counteract. He had none of the theoretical rigor of a true Magus to go with his power. It was like fighting a child with the strength of an adult. And to add onto everything else, Archer was continuously drawing on Tokiomi's prana in his fight with the two other Servants.

This was supposed to be over so quickly. He would destroy the woman and subdue Kariya while Archer dealt with Saber and Lancer. But it seemed that Tokiomi had severely underestimated his foes. Kariya in his sheer determination to hurt Tokiomi, and the Einzbern woman in her adeptness in the arcane arts. It was, however, a testament to his own skill that he was able to maneuver about the two enemies with such grace and even gain footing against them.

At the moment though both he and Kariya were resting, glaring at each other while they both waited for the other to make a move. "Well Kariya, I must say that you're not the complete failure I thought to encounter tonight. Perhaps you do possess a microcosm of your father's lauded abilities." He sneered at the disfigured man.

"Well you know me, just one big surprise." Said Kariya, preparing for the inevitable continuation of their fight. "Ask Aoi, she'll tell you just how big I am." he said as Tokiomi growled at him.

"I have no time for such crassness, though I know you lie. Now make this easier for all of us and tell me now where Sakura is." Said Tokiomi as he pointed his staff at Kariya, the tip bursting into flame. "You have always coveted that which cannot be yours, and my children are no different. Now tell me where my daughter is!" he demanded.

"Safe." Spat Kariya. "Safe from you. And don't you remember? She isn't your daughter anymore. You lost that right, that privilege, when you SOLD her!" he roared. "And to a monster like Zouken at that. I knew Magi were bastards but you really take the cake Tokiomi."

At that moment, something quite spectacular happened. Something not many people got to see, or at least lived to tell of. Tokiomi Tohsoka, the calm and collected Magus, Head of the Tohsoka family, proceeded to completely lose all control. With a vicious war cry he blasted Kariya with a lightning bolt, sending the younger man flying and leaving a great scorch mark on Kariya's chest. Kariya scrambled to all fours, but struggled to rise further as Tokiomi rushed forward and struck him once with his cane.

Kariya groaned and fell to his elbows as Tokiomi brought up his foot and slammed it down onto his head, crushing Kariya face first into the dirt. "This, Kariya, is exactly where you belong." Snarled the Magi. Normally he would never lose control like this, but rage and grief had driven him over the edge. This man knew, he KNEW where his daughter was. And he withheld her from him. Well now he was going to pay the price for enraging a Magus.

However, before he could demonstrate his fury further he felt something wrap around his wrists, binding them over his head. Panic setting in, he turned his head to see the Einzbern woman manipulating the blue wires, a grimly triumphant look in her eyes. "You're no parent." She hissed. "KIRI! NOW!" she screamed at the top of her lungs and hauled Tokiomi up into the air, far above the flaming wall. For a split second, everything is frozen.

And then there was a scream of " **EXCALIBUR**!" and the world erupted into white light. As the light blasted through, three things Tokiomi became very aware of. First, the Command Seals on his hand burning away. However, that became very minor as two more sensations became known to him. One was the feeling of a bullet tearing through his gut, just before the light erupted, and finally a second one struck him in the shoulder as the light blasted forth.

Tokiomi felt the bindings on his wrist fade away, and he fell down to the ground, screaming in agony. But just before he hit the dirt the shockwave of energy hit sending him and the other two flying, decimating his wall of fire, and uprooting several trees.

And then… blackness. Tokiomi slipped into either death or unconsciousness, he did not know which.

* * *

Waver Velvet had joined this war for one reason, and one reason alone: to prove himself. To dash away the prejudices and limits put upon him because of his status as a third-generation Magus. To prove to the world that even a nobody like him could command a Servant and win the War for the Holy Grail. To tell Kayneth Archibold and those like him to fuck off.

Then he had discovered that War was not a term used lightly, and it went hand in hand with pain and terror. He now realized that entering this War was probably a bad idea, and now he had to stick it through to the end. Yeah, he was probably screwed.

So when Berserker, the Servant that had nearly killed him the first night had approached his home panic was a perfectly appropriate response. But still, Rider had managed to calm him down (read: smack him upside the head) and he had seen that the Viking was waving a white flag, a haphazard construction of a twig and a rather singed hotel tower. Upon hearing that the surprisingly sane Berserker was asking to parley Waver had been hesitant, but Rider with his "kingly manners" and "royal courtesies" had accepted with a laugh.

They were currently in Waver's bedroom, Waver on the floor as FAR away from Berserker as he could get, Rider lounging on the bed like the king that he was, and Berserker standing before them both by the door though not with his back to it, his head inclined proudly. There was tension in the room, and Waver knew that most of it came from him. But hey, if you were facing down the crazy Viking who almost killed you YOU'D BE NERVOUS TOO!

"So Berserker!" proclaimed Rider. "You seem to be in remarkably good form this day, being in possession of your senses and all." He said jovially. "I would offer you wine, but I fear there is none to be had." Said the King of Conquerors, sounding a bit disappointed in himself, as though he had truly neglected his royal courtesy.

"I prefer some good and cold mountain mead anyway." Said Berserker gruffly. "Besides, I ain't here ta drink. I'm here ta talk." He said in a serious tone.

"Did Professor Kayneth send you?" blurts out Waver before he could stop himself. "I-I mean… did he remove your Mad Enhancement to talk to me? W-want me to surrender? Something like that?" he asked, hoping against hope that his teacher had calmed a bit and called off Berserker from actively hunting and killing Waver.

The Viking snorted. "Nay laddie, I'm here on me own account. And between the two of us, I can't stand the _alicarl_." He said with a snigger. Waver wasn't sure he was relieved by this news or made more nervous by it (if that were possible), but he could identify about not being able to stand the bigoted blue-blood so he let out a breath.

"What I am here for is ta make a deal." Said Berserker, leaning against the wall. "See, I ain't fond of ma Master. He's a coward and an idiot. Now I want ta win, but I don't want ta win with him." Said the Servant of Madness simply. "So, here's me proposal. You take over as the Master of both meself and Rider over there and you get yer wish either way. And I'll take care of the blonde ponce fer ya." Said the Viking in a very straightforward way.

Though it was a clear answer and exactly what Waver wanted, it floored him. The idea of a Servant coming to him, requesting to fight beside him, was that absolute last thing he expected to hear. But as soon as that wore off the idea hit him like a freight train. TWO SERVANTS! That was exactly what he needed. Double the firepower and double the protection. It was everything he could have asked for!

But Waver was not top of his class for nothing. And he also knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch there was a catch here someplace. There was something bad that went along with this deal. He knew it. Waver briefly met Rider's eyes and he saw that the Servant agreed with him.

Waver stood, feeling a bit of confidence returning. "Alright, I have a few questions though." He said, swallowing past the lump in his throat. "First off, prana." He said, using the first logical argument coming to mind. "I've done the research, the Berserker Class takes up the most out of all of them. How do you plan to provide for both yourself and Rider?" He asked, trying to keep his voice diplomatic.

Berserker waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry yer pretty little head lad. Ah got me own source of prana. You'll barely need ta dish up any 'cept in scraps." He said casually enough, but his eyes flashed dangerously and Waver knew not to press it. Still, he figure that the Servant had cracked using Ley Lines, Fuyuki was famous among Magi for them after all.

"Alright, what about your wish?" asked Waver. "Only one Servant gets the wish." He said as assertively as he could. "What happens when you and Rider are the only ones left? Where's that leave us?" he asked.

More specifically where did that leave Rider? Waver liked Rider, and he wanted to help the red-haired giant get his wish to traverse the lands of a new era and just enjoy the new world. Plus there was the small fact that a duel between Rider and Berserker would probably kill Waver too if he was supplying both of them prana.

Berserker shrugged. "Ain't really got one laddie. Really all I want is a few more good bouts before I kick the bucket again." Said the Viking, sounding genuine. And Waver wanted to believe him. He really did. Having Berserker at his command plus Rider would be a HUGE advantage. Plus, the Viking sounded genuine.

Waver glanced at Rider, and the brash king considered for a moment. He seemed to be mulling over the words of Berserker. Finally Rider nodded at Waver.

Waver turned back to Berserker and grinned. "Alright, you've got yourself a deal Berserker." Said Waver with a grin, extending his hand out to shake. Internally, though, he was jumping for joy. Two Servants? Oh yeah, this was in the bag.

Berserker laughed and shook hands with Waver. "Ya won't regret this laddie, I promise." He said with a grin. "Now, I just gotta get one thing, then this whole thigs' finalized. Wish me luck!" he cried, and then proceeded to jump out the window, shattering the glass.

Waver stared after him, hearing only Rider's bellowing laugh. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…

* * *

Caster stared into her bubbling cauldron, watching the scene before her play out. Gilgamesh, fool that he was, was dead. And oh it had been entertaining to watch that little scrap play out. Truly the idiot had never stood a chance against Arturia and Lancelot both. It was a simple fact, the two were a nigh unstoppable team. But, not invincible, and that was what Caster was counting on. The little flaws, the tiny mistakes, which would eventually tear them apart.

Soon, everything she desired would be hers. Every dream she had been denied, every right that had been withheld from her, everything that should have been hers would be once the Grail was in her hand. And now that she knew the identities of Lancer and Saber, oh it would be all the sweeter when she wrenched victory from them.

"P-please." Begged the voice from the unfortunate wretch who had summoned her from the corner. She deigned a glance of contempt in his direction. "Just… just let me die." Begged the broken voice of the former serial killer Uryuu Ryuunosuke.

"Silence worm." Hissed Caster, striking him with a bolt of energy. Ignoring his pitiful sobs she turned back to the cauldron, smiling in barely controlled delight. "It's been a long time now hasn't it… sister."

Morgana Le Fey, the Servant Caster of the Fourth Grail War, the Witch of Darkness, threw back her head and released a wicked cackle.

* * *

 **AN: It's great to be back people! Not gonna lie, this chapter was an absolute BITCH to write. Mainly because fight scenes are impossible to do logically and with drama mixed in. Hope this was up to par.**

 **Anyway, tell me what you think in the comment section! I'd love to hear what your opinions are, especially with the addition of Morgana into the mix. I feel like she would be the perfect villain of this piece, especially with Gilgamesh dead.**

 **If you're pissed about Gilgamesh getting killed, well, sorry. But it just sort of turned out this way. I really don't think even he could have survived the combined brain and brawn of both Arturia and Lancelot. But if you wish to rampage and flame, please do so in a constructive manner.**

 **Next chapter things will slow down a little, and we'll get to see another side of Berserker and get some more drama with Arturia and Lancelot. More Waver too. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Love you all to bits!**


	4. A Note

Hey everyone. I know that its been a while. The truth is I've been dealing with some personal demons that I just couldn't seem to shake.

Calling it depression is fair I guess. I felt like shit about absolutely everything one-hundred percent of the time. I just couldn't even work up the will to get up really. Whenever I tried to write I just couldn't bring myself to write a single word. My grades tanked and I nearly flunked out of college. I almost did something cowardly.

But I got lucky. I had some incredibly wonderful and kind people who pulled me back from the edge. I pulled myself together and got the help I needed.

I'm sorry for not updating in so long. I'm going to make a real effort to write more often. Thank you everyone for being so patient with me. Expect updates for almost everything in the future, as well as something new I started a while ago but never got around to publishing.

Love you all,

Hedgehog of Time.


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